President Buhari's special assistant is dead

The senior special assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on economic matters, Ayodele Adu, is dead.

Adu died on Friday, August 12, 2016, according to information available to us. Details of his death were still sketchy at the time of this report, but a condolence message released by Olayinka Oyebode, special assistant on media to Dr Kayode Fayemi, the minister of Solid Minerals Development, confirmed the incident. Fayemi condoned with  the family of the deceased expressing shock and sadness about the incident. The late Adu served on the board of Fountain Investment Company Limited of the Ekiti state government while Fayemi was governor of the state. Fayemi described the death of Adu as a personal loss to him and a major loss to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He said Adu’s death has robbed the APC, Ekiti state chapter of another prominent member, and compounded its grief, especially coming closely on the heels of  the death of Chief Ibidapo Awojolu and Alhaji Femi Ganiyu Adeyemi. The minister described the late economic and financial expert as a vibrant young man, a thorough bred professional and a decent progressive politician, who was ever willing and ready to deploy his talents and expertise for the progress of his fatherland. “He was a distinguished Nigerian, an honourable Ekiti man who through dint of hard work and determination worked his way to the top of his professional calling and left  marks of excellence on every assignment he undertook. “He was a man of courage, character and conviction, who had a great passion for the Ekiti Project. It is indeed a painful loss. We shall surely miss him. “May God grant him eternal rest and give his family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss,” the message read.

CBN orders bank workers to declare assets

The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, has ordered workers in all the 19 Deposit Money Banks in the country to declare their assets. The new order was made known via a circular through the Banking Supervision Department of the CBN to all the 19 commercial banks in the country about four weeks ago.

CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele

Punch reports that the apex bank had given all bank officials only one week ultimatum to complete the assets declaration process to avoid clampdown.

According to the report, all commercial banks, such as Ecobank Nigeria, First City Monument Bank Limited and Fidelity Bank Plc had since complied with the directive.

The paper quoted a top official of one of the tier-1 banks as saying that, “All our staff members, from the most junior to the most senior, were asked to declare their assets through a court affidavit. It was handled by the company’s lawyer. “We were asked to declare all our assets, including developed and undeveloped parcels of land, properties, houses in Nigeria and outside Nigeria etc. We were asked to also declare everything, including power generators at home. We complied within one week.”

It was learnt that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission might soon begin the examination of the details of the assets declaration forms vis-à-vis the properties some top bankers own.

Commenting on the assets declaration, an executive director in one of the top three banks, said, “It is part of the ongoing anti-corruption crusade in the country. The Federal Government is trying to deepen the anti-corruption war in the private sector, and it is believed that the banking sector is a very critical sector. This is why the CBN has been mandated to do this.”

“The directive is from the Code of Conduct Bureau. It is an extant rule. Before now, most people have not been complying. So the CCB wrote a letter to the CBN reminding it about it. This is why the CBN had to write the banks to comply,” a top official of the apex bank told our correspondent on condition of anonymity.‎

Electoral offences: Rights Commission to prosecute 118 politicians, institutions, others

National Human Rights Commission said it had over 118 indictment ranging from the political class to individuals and institutions for electoral offences. The Executive Secretary of the commission, Prof. Bem Angwe, made the disclosure at the presentation of the “End Electoral Impunity” project report in Abuja on Thursday.

Angwe said the offences were committed in the 2007 and 2011 elections by the political class, individuals and various institutions that had the responsibility to conduct elections. He said the report was a follow up to an earlier report presented in 2014 where a list of those indicted was forwarded to the Attorney-General of the Federation for necessary actions.

He said: “With the finalisation of this report, that list has been upgraded and will also be sent to the AGF and State Attorneys-General. “We hope necessary steps will be taken to ensure that these people or institutions indicted are held accountable for their infractions during the 2007 and 2011 elections.”

The executive secretary said holding them accountable would surely curb electoral impunity in the country.

Angwe noted that unless steps were taken to deal with electoral impunity, the right to vote and be voted for and related rights would continued to be infringed upon.

He said the next step was for the commission to begin a holistic look into the 2015 elections as well.

He said: “The commission will soon commence public hearing to investigate those involved in hate speeches and violence in the 2015 election and even the 1999 elections.”

Presenting the report, Prof. Nsongurua Udombana, the Chairman of the Technical Working Group set up by the commission to execute the project, said those indicted included judges and lawyers.

Udombana said: “The TWG took hold of 2,731 certified judgments from the registry of the Court of Appeal covering 2007 and 2011 judgments. “We also conducted public hearings in Port Harcourt and Abuja where we heard a total of 29 witnesses drawn from INEC, political parties, members of the public, law enforcement agencies, academics and civil society. “We had a total of 20 criminal indictments, 49 criminal and administrative indictments, 38 administrative indictments, four administrative and judicial indictments, seven judicial indictments and three professional indictments.” The group recommended, among others, that the Presidency should direct the AGF to prioritise the investigation and prosecution of election-related crimes.

Also recommended was the publication of names of all Independent National Electoral Commission officials who had been the subject of administrative procedures related to electoral malpractice since 1999.

The group further recommend amendment of relevant sections of the Electoral Act by the National Assembly to render anyone convicted of corrupt practices or other crimes ineligible to contest elections.

 In a remark, the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, emphasised the need to drive the electoral process with discipline. Yakubu, who was represented by Solomon Soyebi, a Commissioner in the commission, said unless Nigerians realised that the ballot paper was a stronger weapon than gun, impunity in elections would continue.

On his part, the Director-General of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution, Prof. Osita Osita, said electoral impunity had the singular potential to scuttle Nigeria’s democracy.

Osita added that unless impunity was dealt with, there would be no peace in the country, and urged all agencies to tackle impunity within.

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Without the southern oil the north is nothing - Femi Fani Kayode says

Femi Fani-Kayode, outspoken former minister of aviation, says he is “heartbroken” by the level of betrayal he has experienced in the past few months. Writing on his social media page on Thursday, Fani-Kayode, said:

 “The betrayal that I have suffered from the least expected quarters in the last three months is heart-breaking. I thought I had seen and heard it all until this. “Thankfully the Holy Bible says ‘he who repays good with evil, evil will never leave his household’. “I leave them to God. Destiny speaks at the end.”

In another post on his Facebook page, the director of media and publicity of the 2015 presidential campaign of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) alleged that President Muhammadu Buhari would advocate for “a breakup” of Nigeria if crude oil is found in the north.

 Reacting to the recent commencement of exploration for crude oil in the northern part of Nigeria, he said: “My prayer for Nigeria is that oil is found in commercial quantities in the core north. I am glad that Buhari is looking for it desperately.

“If he finds it, he and the north will be the first to call for a breakup of the country. If he fails to find it they will continue to be the the greatest obstacle to the restructuring of our nation and they will continue to provide the greatest opposition to the peaceful division of our country.”

“Why? Because without southern oil the north is nothing”, Fani-Kayode added.

The controversial ex-minister who was recently released from a 67-day detention, is being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly receiving funds meant for the prosecution of the Boko Haram war, from the office of the national security adviser.

Jibrin: I cry for Nigeria because we continue to respect corrupt people

Abdulmumin Jibrin, former chairman of the house of representatives appropriations committee, says he “cries for Nigeria” because of the culture of respecting corrupt people, which is to the detriment of the country.

Abdulmumin Jibril

In a statement on Thursday, Jibrin, who explained how the committee was used for fraud in padding of the 2016 budget, said it was a diversionary plan by Yakubu Dogara, the speaker, to say that the budget s “law and therefore no offence can be committed in that regard”. Earlier, Dogara had said at a function: “The budget being a law therefore means it is only the parliament that can make it because it is a law.

“If you contend that we cannot tinker with the appropriation bill, even though it is a money bill, it therefore goes without saying that we cannot tinker with any executive bill.”

But in response to that, Jibrin said: “Today, they went a disgraceful step further to threaten that the budget is already a law and therefore no offence can be committed in that regard. “For instance let’s say an item in a budget proposed by the executive under power for the purchase of a transformer costs N2million and same amount was budgeted. “If the Chairman House Committee on power, because he has the powers to appropriate, decides to add N3million naira to jack up the allocation to 5million naira when it is a public knowledge that the transformer cannot cost more than 2million naira, what do you call that? That essentially means appropriation fraud.”

He challenged the speaker and the others accused of padding the budget to a public debate on their claim that the “fraudulent” insertions they made in the budget do not constitute an offence that can be prosecuted under the country’s laws. “Transparency and Integrity Group, Speaker Dogara and his gang of thieves should submit themselves to the anti-corruption agencies and answer thousands of questions waiting for them,” he added. “I am pretty sure not even the two governors and three former house members backing them can help them evade the anti-corruption agencies.”

He said he had forwarded to the anti-corruption agencies documents showing how Speaker Dogara and others allegedly allocated the N40 billion they stole from N100 billion for constituency projects.

“I cry for Nigeria. So long as we continue to respect corrupt people, so shall our country continue to relapse.”

Dogara: We are privileged… we can’t be prosecuted over budget

Yakubu Dogara, speaker of the house of representatives, says no member of the national assembly can be investigated or charged to court for performing the constitutional responsibility of lawmaking, including budget scrutiny.

Speaking on Thursday during a dialogue session with civil society groups in Abuja, Dogara said the 2016 budget had been controversial from the beginning, but it took dialogue, “compromise and consensus” to produce a workable document.

He maintained that the appropriation bill is just like any other bill, which must be subjected to normal legislative processes and scrutiny. “I want this thing to sink so that we can understand it from here and perhaps it may change the ongoing discourse,” he said. “If you say the national assembly doesn’t have the powers to tinker with the budget, that we just pass it. When it is prepared and laid we turn it into a bill. If it is a bill, how do other bills make progression in the parliament in order to become law? “If you contend that we cannot tinker with the appropriation bill, even though it is a money bill, it therefore goes without saying that we cannot tinker with any executive bill. “Because if they (executive) bring a bill, they will not consult the public to say come and give us your input on this bill. It is the legislature that does that by the instrumentality of public hearing and when we aggregate your views is only our duty as representatives of the people including the media and CSOs to make sure that your voices are reflected so that by the time we hear from you we now turn it into a legislative bill and when it gets to the president and he signs they say ‘oooohhh some people have padded the bill’. “It doesn’t even make sense, and they have forgotten about the legislative houses powers and privileges act sections 24 and 30 and others, which means most of the things we do in the national assembly are privileged. “They cannot be grounds for any investigation on the procedure or proceedings to commence against a member of parliament either the speaker or the president of the senate once they are done in the exercise of their proper functions.”

Doagara also defended the need for zonal intervention projects in the budget, citing the instance of the senator who has been elected thrice because he facilitated an airport in his constituency.

The speaker said while there is no provision for a “N50 bore hole” for his constituency in the 2016 budget, directors in ministries have been able to attract many projects to their areas. “Are the people responsible to anyone or it is that we just find these projects littered in the budget? The answer is no, but some people sit down in the budget office,” he said.

“Now, as civil societies, I want to achieve us to one thing, just take the budget, for instance, of a particular ministry, just check where the directors come from, or some of the officials come for, I wouldn’t want to mention their names, and look at their allocations in that ministry. It is all over. If you do that exercise, you will be shocked. And that is why we are calling to question, the integrity of that process.

“The minister perhaps comes from a particular region and you will see up to 60, 70 percent of that ministry’s funds go to that place and in furtherance of our responsibility and duties as representatives of the people, you want to attract projects to those people. “Even in the US, one of the requirements for reelection is for you to attract federal presence back to your constituency. A senator brought an airport to his district and just for that he has been elected over three times. “But the truth is this, if you come from a constituency like mine for instance, let me give you an example of myself, right now, we don’t have a permanent secretary anywhere, we don’t have a director anywhere, so if you look at the 2016 budget, if you were to go as proposed by the executive, there is no single federal funded borehole, even if it is N50, there is no N50 meant for any project in my three local governments. Why? Because I don’t have anybody where they are preparing, sharing or making allocation.”

Nigeria records fresh cases of polio – the first in 24 months

Nigeria’s ministry of health has confirmed two fresh cases of wild polio virus, few weeks after celebrating two years without a single case. The cases have also been confirmed by the World Health Organisation, with Isaac Adewole, Nigeria’s minister of health, saying this is a big setback for the nation on health issues.

Adewole, who spoke to journalists in Abuja on Thursday, said everything will be done to halt the spread of the virus. “It is unfortunate that we have the development. It has set us back. But I can assure the nation that we will do everything possible to be on top of the situation,” he said.

“We are meeting again today. We had a meeting yesterday to look at the situation. We are drawing out an emergency plan and in the next 48 hours, we are dispatching a team there and we are going to start immunization. “We would do three rounds of special immunization campaigns to make sure that we contain the situation.”

He added that “one of the cases is from Gwoza, which is actually close to the border”, while the other one is Jere. “We suspect that both of them are linked to the insurgents eclipse,” he said.

“Mr. President himself, when we had a meeting last week, observed that as we liberate more areas, we should expect challenges. But we did not expect that there would be polio. We were expecting nutrition and other problems. “As a nation, we will rise up to the challenge. We are assured by our international partners and we will launch a robust response. We have enough funding for immunization in the 2016 budget.

“We have more projections for 2017 and 2018. We are robustly supported by international partners. We have signed on to a World Bank loan to make ensure that we have enough funding. So, I think money is not the issue. The issue has to do with the access and the insurgency operations.”

Aliko Dangote had warned at the second anniversary of the last recorded polio case that the battle against polio had not be totally won.

Lake Chad will soon dry up and there will be problems, Buhari warns

President Muhammadu Buhari has urged rich countries to do something urgent to save the Lake Chad from extinction before the people of the area start creating problems for them. Buhari said this while receiving Irina Bokova, director-general of UNESCO, in Abuja on Thursday.

According to a statement issued by Garba Shehu, presidential spokesman, the president warned that the failure to regenerate the Lake Chad would lead to another round of migration by the people living in the areas.

Buhari, who led seven ministers to an interactive meeting with the UNESCO chief, said Nigeria and the other countries of the Lake Chad Basin lack the billions of dollars required to channel water from the Congo Basin into the lake to check its rapid depletion. “Those living in the Lake Chad region have suffered untold hardship and displacement because of the violence perpetrated by Boko Haram terrorists,” he said. ‘‘If there is no farming and fishing, they will dare the desert to migrate.

“Unless the developed countries make concerted efforts to complete the feasibility study, mobilise resources and technology to start the water transfer from the Congo Basin, the Lake Chad will dry up.

“The people will go somewhere and they will create problems for those countries.”

Buhari commended UNESCO for its support to Nigeria, particularly on the ongoing rehabilitation work in the northeast and reintegration of internally displaced persons (IDPs).

He said the pathetic situation of IDPs requires immediate and urgent response from international organisations, such as UNSECO, to provide infrastructure, health and education for the people in the area.

Bokova, who commenced a week-long visit to West and Central Africa on August 6, said she was in Nigeria to strengthen the organisation’s programme in the areas of science and technology, gender and youth development, culture, water resources development, health and environment.

Ayade plans beach resort for Calabar

As part of value addition to the state’s tourism offering, the Cross River State governor, Prof. Ben Ayade, has announced plans to build a beach resort in Calabar. 

Gov Ben Ayade

Speaking during the inspection of Nsidung Beach in Calabar South Local Government Area of the state, the governor disclosed that construction work will start in the second week of September this year. He said: “It is obvious that as Cross River State continues to blaze the trail in tourism, we must develop our waterfronts in such a way that we find maximum value.” The governor said, funding for the project had been secured with a team of investors already setting aside $3 million for the project. Governor Ayade, said that the resort will complement the 2016 Calabar carnival, hinting that a boat regatta could be in this year’s Calabar Festival calender. Ayade who unveiled a resettlement plan for the residents of the waterfront, said: “I do not believe in the demolition of any property without adequate compensation. It could have been any of us in that slum. As such, it is our responsibility, divinely provided for in God’s own law that you must be your brother’s keeper.” Announcing the Deputy Governor, Prof. Ivara Esu as the desk officer for the project, Ayade said that government will provide houses under its social housing scheme, for those that will be relocated from the waterfront. He said that the social housing scheme planned for the slum dwellers will show the sensibility, sensitivity, softness and care expected of a responsible government. “Such houses will be given to them at no cost. The theory that there is no free lunch is not true. For us in Cross River State, we do have free lunch.” Earlier on arriving at the Margaret Ekpo International Airport from Abuja, Ayade had announced a partnership between Calabar and the city of Dortmund in Germany with the aim of building houses that are dependent on renewable energy source for the displaced people of Bakassi.

No sanctions for Dogara, Jibrin, says APC

The All Progressives Congress, APC, has said it would not sanction its members involved in the budget-padding scandal rocking the House of Representatives.  

Dogara and Jibrin

House Speaker, Yakubu Dogara and sacked chairman of Appropriation Committee in the House, Abdulmumuni Jibrin, have been locked in a battle of wits regarding allegations of padding. However, speaking with journalists, yesterday, in Abuja, Deputy National Chairman (North) of the party, Senator Lawal Shuaibu, said APC could only sanction members who run foul of its constitution. He said: “Article 7 subsection 5 of APC gives us the power to do certain things; you see what we are doing we are doing the right thing but only that we don’t want it in public gallery. “What is padding? The party does not sanction anybody on that. What concerns us is where any member contravenes the party constitution in his conduct. ‘’That is why I referred you to Article 7 subsection 5 of our party constitution. We are not a law enforcement organization and so we do not enforce law. ‘’We only ensure that the constitution is complied with; every member of the party is answerable to the party and answerable to its constitution. ‘’The two members that are subjected to this are elected or appointed members of the party including those that are holding public office. ‘’So, you expect the party to sit down and watch? No, we have to do our work. The issue of us sweeping anything under the carpet does not arise at all. But we do not do it in the market place, we do it in the party secretariat.” Our 12.7million members pay N100 each On funding of the party, he said the APC currently had a membership of over 12million who paid a due of N100 each to the party. “We have a credible source of funding. Every member of APC in this country shall pay N100. So far, on our data base, we have 12.7million registered members, others are still waiting for us to just open our portal to do their membership registration. 

PDP Still in Rancour Five Days to Convent

Five days to its national convention in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, all is still not well with the Peoples Democratic Party.

Factional national chairman Ali Modu Sheriff wants the convention put on hold.

But, the party Caretaker Committee Chairman Senator Ahmed Makarfi insists the convention must hold.

 Sheriff also demanded that its venue be moved from Port Harcourt to Abuja on a yet to be agreed date.

He tabled his demands at a meeting with some members of the PDP Board of Trustees (BOT) reconciliation committee in Abuja on Tuesday night.

He also demanded the removal of Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike as Chairman of the Convention Planning Committee.

Professor Jerry Gana who held the reconciliation team said he was optimistic that peace would return to the party.

Cambodian court convicts 8 Nigerians for drug trafficking

Barely two weeks after three Nigerians and one Indonesian were executed for drug trafficking in Indonesia, the fate of eight Nigerians appears to be hanging in the balance in Cambodia as the nation's anti-drug law agency, said it has concluded the trial of eight Nigerians alongside their Cambodian accomplice.

The Cambodian woman, alongside the eight Nigerians, it was gathered, were arrested after police caught the group allegedly trafficking one kilogramme of crystal methamphetamine in Phnom Penh's Chamkarmon district in January 2015.

While delivering his judgment, the presiding judge, Khy Chhay, named the nine on trial as Okorom Nhabu Favour (36), Izuchukwu Chuwuma (40), Nnamezie Victor (30), Simon Maduka Ukadu (45), Sunday Nwabusi (31), Okorom Kizito Chimedu (35), Francis Nnamedi (30), Tony Mmaduka Chuwuonye (34) and Morn Vinyung (31), who is the Cambodian woman.

Two online news portals, Khmertimeskh.com and Abiyamo.com alleged that eight Nigerians and the Cambodian accomplice were all charged under article 40 of the Drug Law.

In spite of an admission of guilt from Vinyung, who is alleged to be Chuwuonye's girlfriend at the time of their arrest, all the eight suspects denied the charges against them, saying they were Christian missionaries who came to Phnom Penh to open a church.

Commenting on this, the deputy chief of the Anti-Drug Unit at the 9th Intervention Police Office in the Ministry of Interior's anti-drug department, Captain Proeung Pheap, said the group was using their Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM) church as a front for a drug ring, hiding their identities and trafficking under the guise of missionary work.

He claimed the police discovered the illegal operation after Vinyung delivered drugs to undercover officers three separate times at the Sovanna supermarket in Chamkarmon district in January 2015.

The death penalty has been abolished in Cambodia, but the law on the control of drugs bodes ill for those caught with controlled substances.

Cambodia’s laws prescribe punishment ranging from 5 years to life in prison.

Be Alert To Imminent Flooding, Osanebi Charges Constituents

Deputy Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly Rt. Hon. Friday Ossai Osanebi has charged his constituents, Ndokwa people and Deltans at large, especially those living in flood prone areas to be at alert and live ready, in order to avert any disaster due to imminent flooding.

Osanebi who said that the warning became imperative following the declaration of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency ( NIMET), that from August to October this year, 11 states will experience severe flooding as their various soil moistures had reached or were close to saturation.

According to NIMET, in its latest flood alert, said, “After thorough analyses of rainfall data from our observatories nationwide for June and July, we wish to provide the following information and advisories to the public, especially those in the affected areas. Soil moisture has either reached saturation, or near saturation levels due to cumulative high intensity rainfall in some parts of the country in June and July.

“The affected states include Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Kaduna, Kwara, Nasarawa, Yobe and Zamfara. This means that floods should be expected in these areas because the soil is no longer able to absorb more rainwater in the coming weeks which coincide with the peak of the rainy season.”

Further revelations from NIMET stated that research had shown that the looming flood might be similar to what was experienced in many states in 2012, which began in July that year and killed 363 people, while over 2.1 million others were displaced.

According to the National Emergency Management Agency, (NEMA) the 2012 floods was the worst in the last 40 years, as it affected an estimated total of seven million people while the damages and losses caused by the floods were put at N2.6tn.

To this end, the Deputy Speaker urged traditional rulers, community leaders, youth groups, women, and socio-economic groups to seriously educate and mobilize their members so that members of the community can be fully informed of the likely natural disaster in order to prepare their minds and hearts.

He noted that relevant structures have been perfected for emergency evacuation plans, but stressed "prevention is better than cure".

Osanebi further urged constituents to be proactive in order to avoid losses, saying that he's focused on bringing prosperity to the people in the fullest and to that end, all hands must be on desk to collectively check massive loss or disaster that could be occasioned by flood.

Biafra: Jubilation in Onitsha as FG releases detained IPOB members in Aba

There was jubilation in Onitsha, the commercial city of Anambra State, yesterday, following the release of members of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) arrested, during a prayer session, in Aba, Abia State, by security operatives.

The IPOB members in Onitsha went into frenzy the moment news of their release filtered into  town. They converged on the old market road, Onitsha, discussing, drinking and celebrating, while expressing their hope that Nnamdi Kanu, their leader will soon be released by the Federal Government.

In a statement praising the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice for the peace gesture, the Media and Publicity Secretary of organisation, Mr. Emmanuel Powerful, noted that their quest was for the restoration of Biafra state and not for violent take-over of the rulership of Nigeria. He promised to continue to pursue their quest through non-violent means.

Urging the Attorney-General to extend the release to other members who were detained in different prisons and security cells in the country, he appealed to President Buhari to release Kanu without “conditional attachment.”

Likening IPOB to other liberation movements around the globe, he reiterated that the liberation movement is dedicated to the self-determination of the indigenous people of Biafra in line with universally acclaimed processes and procedures. “Having launched Biafrexit, IPOB is fully committed to pursing a referendum to determine once and for all time the issue of the sovereignty of Biafra,” he noted.

Calling on the Federal Government under President Buhari to emulate the example of British government under David Cameron which allowed the Scottish nation to freely choose if they want to be part of the UK or not and most recently, allowed a referendum to be carried on whether Britain wants to continue to belong to European Union or not, Powerful vowed: “we IPOB will continue to demand the civilised world to prevail on Buhari to allow Biafrans to freely choose where they wish to belong.”

He added that, “the issue of Biafra self-determination cannot be swept under the carpet because Biafra is in black Africa where acceptable civilised standards are lacking. What is good for Scotland and Britain at large is also good for Biafra.

“We, therefore, urge the Attorney-General of the Federation to continue on this path of peaceful co-existence by releasing all Biafra detainees including the leader of IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, whose continued illegal detention is the primary reason why Nigeria is falling apart today.”

Abia North rerun: Tribunal concludes adoption of written addresses

Abia North Senatorial rerun Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Umuahia, the state capital, yesterday concluded the adoption of  its final written addresses, and informed parties in the case that they would be communicated on the date of judgment.

Chairman of the tribunal, Justice James Abundaga, opened the sitting by calling for the motion of the addresses and the adoption of the written addresses.

A member of the team of  lawyers to the 1st Respondent, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa, Mr Bolarinwa Awojola, opened the matter  by urging the tribunal to strike out the petition of the petitioner on the ground of incompetence.

Awojola  said that he was opposing  the petition on 11 grounds contained in the written address his team  submitted to the tribunal.

But counsel to Dr Orji Uzor Kalu, Kelvin Nwufo (SAN) who took the issues raised in the addresses of the respondents point by point opposed the application with a 5-paragraph counter affidavit accompanied by rules of the tribunal.

Nwufo  argued that the cases cited by the 1st Respondents counsel were not applicable in the instant case,  stating  that the position of paragraph 4 (7) of the Electoral Act relied upon by the 1st Respondent’s counsel had been deleted by the amendment in the Electoral Act as shown in Section 38 by the Electoral Amendment Act of  2010.

He submitted  that  “the application which is hinged principally on paragraph 4 (7)  of the Electoral Act should be struck out and dismissed as incompetent,”

Counsel to the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), Mr Anagha Kalu, also urged the tribunal to strike out the petitioners case on the ground that the evidence of the forensic expert was based on hearsay and could not be relied upon.

But Nwufo opposed the application on the ground that the forensic witness who was appointed and trained by INEC could not be criticized and condemned by the electoral body. He said that the “2nd Respondent which appointed and trained PW 18 cannot be allowed in law to benefit from his shortcoming.”

In his remarks, Abundaga at the end of the adoption of the addresses, said  that the panel was happy with the conduct of counsels to the parties.

“We will adjourn to prepare the documents and communicate the date to you. Somebody must win, somebody must lose, but we will do our best before men and the Almighty God. The important thing is that you are sure that those adjudicating are of utmost sincerity.”

Speaking to newsmen  at the end of the session, counsels to Dr Orji Uzor Kalu, Chief Kelvin Nwufo (SAN) and Senator Mao Ohuabunwa, Mike Onyeka, expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the tribunal.

They both expressed hope that  judgment would be delivered in their favour.

Nigeria now a poor nation –Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday said the sudden drop in the price of crude oil has left Nigeria poor, leaving it to struggle economically and its people suffering.

Buhari however said his administration’s commitment to transparency and accountability was serving the country in good stead, despite severe shortage of resources in the country. He said despite economic challenges, transparency has made the country remain afloat.

The President spoke Thursday at the State House, Abuja, while receiving the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Executive Director and Under Secretary General of the United Nations, Prof. Babatunde Osotimehin.

“It has been a very difficult year for Nigeria. Before we came to office, petroleum sold for about $100 per barrel.

Then it crashed to $37, and now oscillates between $40 and $45 per barrel. Suddenly, we’re a poor country, but commitment to transparency and accountability is not making people know that there is severe shortage,” Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, quoted the President as saying.

The President called for understanding from the UNFPA  in whichever area the country could not live up to its responsibilities for now, adding that exploding population and different cultural practices in the country provide fertile ground for research to organizations like UNFPA.

Buhari thanked the UN agency for its commitment to saving lives in Nigeria, particularly of women and children.

On food security, Buhari described as encouraging reports from the North-East of the country that people were returning to their farmlands, with the guarantee of relative security.

Osotimehin, a former Minister of Health in Nigeria, said UNFPA was determined to promote health care facilities across the country, noting that reduction of maternal mortality was doable, if the country paid more attention to access to health facilities, and human resources to run them.

He also encouraged Nigeria to commit to providing resources for health care, on a rollover basis, pledging that the UN would work with the country to provide humanitarian assistance not only in the North-East, “but even extended to the Lake Chad basin.”

Asking UNFPA to bear with Nigeria in whichever area the country could not live up to its responsibilities for now, President Buhari said exploding population and different cultural practices in the country provide fertile ground for research to organisations like UNFPA.

Reacting to the president”s comments, President Committee for Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), Mr. Malachy Ugwummadu said  his position on poverty of the Nigerian state was  not completely acceptable.

He said “Granted that the decline in global oil price affected most oil producing nations including OPEC members but the essence of the Nigerian voters  investing  power on the President and his team was for them to be able harness the goodwill he enjoys as an anti corruption crusader to diversify the economy to enhance their standard of living”

“We expect more than restating the fact that there is poverty in the land. What we expect is for the President to use ingenious, out of the box methods including use his enormous goodwill to create wealth for the people of Nigeria.

On his own part, legal luminary and human right activities, Chief Olisa Agbakoba while sympathizing with Nigerians for the crash in prices of crude oil, said President Buhari and his economic team should however not heap the woes of the economy on falling crude oil prices.

“I am not seeing a clearly articulated economic diversification programme or policy by President Buhari on how to deal with the rough conditions brought about by the crisis in falling oil prices,” Agbakoba said.

Sokoto Government to ban street begging

The Sokoto state Governor, Aminu Tambuwal has revealed that he plans to ban street begging.

The Governor said the act is degrading and it does not align with the tenets of Islam.

He said this while giving assistance to the needy under  the State Zakkat and Endowment Committee.

Tambuwal also said he will liaise with Muslim clerics in the state to deliberate on how to stop begging.

He promised to improve the lives of Sokoto people despite the present economic situation in the country.

Also, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, also praised the Governor for funding of the Zakat committee.

Governor Aminu Tambuwal also increased the allowances of corps members in the state.

Six of the 15 inmates that escaped during Nsukka jailbreak have been re-arrested

Six of the fifteen inmates that escaped during a jailbreak at the Nsukka Prison in Enugu state on Tuesday August 9th have been re-arrested.

 This was disclosed by the Enugu state comptroller of Nigeria Prisons Service (NPS), Isaiah Amariri who spoke with newsmen in the state today August 11th.

“There was a jail break in Nsukka prisons on Tuesday night between 12pm and 3am, in which many inmates escaped, though six of them have been re-arrested. I cannot give the exact figure for now as investigations are still on.

We will send our findings to the comptroller-general of prisons who will make public the exact number and cause of Nsukka prisons jail break. The service is liaising with security agents and community vigilante groups to know the hideout of those still on the run in order to re-arrest them. After investigations on the jail break, any person in the service found to have been involved or aided the Tuesday jail break will be arrested and prosecuted no matter his or her position” he said

Nigeria has become a poor country - President Buhari

According to President Muhammadu Buhari, Nigeria is now a poor country due to the drop in global oil prices.

Buhari made the comment on Thursday, August 11, 2016, while meeting with the Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNPF), Professor Babatunde Osotimehin at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, the President said:

“It has been a very difficult year for Nigeria. Before we came to office, petroleum sold for about $100 per barrel. Then it crashed to $37, and now oscillates between $40 and $45 per barrel.”

“Suddenly, we’re a poor country, but commitment to transparency and accountability is not making people know that there is severe shortage.”

President Buhari has been blamed for the economic crisis in the country with members of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) accusing him of brining negative change.

Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) are believed to have won the 2015 elections due to their promise to bring change to the country.

People die every week in your country, Lai replies US travel warning.

Lai Mohammed, minister of information and culture, insists no state in Nigeria is unsafe, contrary to a recent statement by the United States warning its citizens against travelling to 20 Nigerian states. In the travel warning, US listed the Nigerian states to be avoided as Bauchi, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Niger, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Zamfara, Adamawa, Borno and Yobe.

minister of information and culture Lai Mohammed

“The ability of the Mission to provide assistance to U.S. citizens in Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe states remains severely limited. The Department recommends against all but essential travel to the following states due to the risk of kidnappings, robberies, and other armed attacks,” a part of the warning read.

“The U.S. Mission advises all U.S. citizens to be particularly vigilant around government security facilities; churches, mosques, and other places of worship; locations where large crowds may gather, such as hotels, clubs, bars, restaurants, markets, shopping malls; and other areas frequented by expatriates and foreign travelers. “Security measures in Nigeria remain heightened due to threats posed by extremist groups, and U.S. citizens may encounter police and military  checkpoints, additional security, and possible road blocks throughout the country.”

But responding on Thursday while hosting a delegation from the Association of Tourism Practitioners of Nigeria (ATPN), Mohammed observed that US is itself the subject of terrorism attacks, as there is no week when a killing is not recorded.

“Recently, all the newspapers carried the negative story that 20 states in Nigeria are not safe, according to a US report,” he said. “We are in Nigeria, how can we believe the claim that 20 states in Nigeria are not safe? That is not correct. There is no state in Nigeria that is not safe today. “Is there any week they are not killing people in the US by either shooting in schools or driveways, or people committing suicide or mass bombing? “How many of these stories do their media celebrate? If they want to tell their people not to come to Nigeria, it is not for us to help them propagate it.”

He urged the media and members of the association to complement efforts of government to re-position the tourism sector, saying the sector is driven by perception rather than reality.

He implored every Nigerian to invest in perception management for the country. He also urged leaders in the public and private sectors to help promote local tourism by spending their vacations and holidays at tourist sites within the country.

Mohammed said that his ministry would soon embark on visitation of major tourist sites in the country to assess their potential for development.

Earlier, Kabir Malan, national president of the association, commended the minister for his efforts at re-positioning the tourism sector.

He called for the review and implementation of the Tourism National Plan as well as the enactment of laws that would guide the operation of tourism practitioners.

Malan also urged the government to encourage investors to set up tourist camps across the country, and make loans accessible to them.

Ighalo signs new five-year deal with Watford

Odion Ighalo, Super Eagles forward, has agreed a five-year contract extension at Watford FC.

Ighalo had been a target for West Brom, who are keen to bring in a new striker before allowing Saido Berahino leave the club.

The Baggies began considering Ighalo has an alternative after Diafra Sakho failed his medicals and the deal could not pull through.

Watford also rejected a £37.5million bid from Shanghai SiPG, a Chinese club, in July.

With the new contract, Ighalo has now committed committed his long-term future to Watford, as the deal does not expire until 2021.

U.S. donates additional $37 million to assist Northeast Nigeria

Following a trip to Maiduguri at the center of the Boko Haram insurgency this week, USAID’s Office for Foreign Disaster Assistance Director Jeremy Konyndyk announced $37 million in new funding to support additional humanitarian assistance for people affected by the conflict and severe food insecurity in Nigeria and throughout the Lake Chad Basin.

At a press conference Wednesday, August 10, at the Nigerian Emergency Management Agency, Konyndyk said the funding for assistance implemented by international NGOs and UN agencies brings the total USAID humanitarian support for the region to $318 million since last year. The United States is the single largest humanitarian donor to the region.

"The United States is committed to supporting Nigeria to ease this humanitarian crisis,” Konyndyk said, and help sustain this vulnerable population until they can resume livelihoods upended by conflict.

Despite gradually improving security conditions, the humanitarian situation remains dire. Throughout the region, approximately 5 million people need emergency food assistance and 2.5 million people are displaced.

"These issues are enormous," Muhammad Sani Sidi, director general of the Nigeria Emergency Management Agency said, but added we are working toward a "full recovery," including job skills training for the displaced.

UK launches 24-hour visa application service in Nigeria

The United Kingdom has launched super priority visa service in Nigeria to allow customers to process their applications within 24 hours. In a statement posted on its website, the British high commission said the new service was brought up to particularly meet the needs of those requiring urgent traveling service.

The statement said Paul Arkwright, British high commissioner to Nigeria, hailed the introduction of the super priority visa service in Nigeria. “I am pleased to see the super priority visa service being launched in Nigeria,” he said. “This comes with an additional cost but is designed to give greater flexibility to our customers and underlines our strong commitment to improving the visa services we offer.

“We expect this new service to be particularly useful for business. We understand that business opportunities and urgent requirements can arise at very short notice. “We recognise this and want to facilitate such travel to the UK with this new super-fast service.”

Five fake house agents rape 24-year-old girl after meeting her on social media

Lagos state commissioner of police Fatai Owoseni

Six suspected rapists were on Wednesday paraded at the Lagos State Police Command, Ikeja.

It was gathered that while five of the suspects – Gabriel Obinna, Hector Uguchukwu, Chinedu Ezeanya, Akubueze Nnadozie, and Godwin Balogun were accused of raping a 24-year-old lady at a hotel in Agege, the sixth suspect, Emmanuel Mbati, 48, allegedly defiled his neighbour’s 18-month-old baby at Owutu, Ikorodu.

The state Police Commissioner, Fatai Owoseni, said the five suspects lured their victim through the social media by pretending to be real estate agents.

Owoseni said the suspects lured the lady, who was looking for accommodation, to Happy Hour Hotel, Agege, where they repeatedly rapped her.

The police commissioner said about three other ladies had been lured in similar manner by the suspects

Pacquiao confirms comeback fight against Vargas

Manny Pacquiao has announced that he will be coming out of retirement, to fight WBO welterweight champions, Jessie Vargas, in November.

Pacquiao, who claimed he would retire to focus on his political career in Philipines, revealed this after meeting with promoter Bob Arum in Manila.

“Yes, the fight is on. I have agreed to a November 5 fight with reigning WBO welterweight champion Jessie Vargas,” the 37-year-old said. “Boxing is my passion. I miss what I’d been doing inside the gym and atop the ring.”

Pacquiao’s last bout ended in a unanimous decision against American Timothy Bradley in April. He was then elected to the Philippine Senate in May.

I have been a militant and will remain a militant- Gov Adams Oshiomhole says

Gov. Adams Oshiomhole says for any government to make progress, it must maintain a national minimum wage. Oshiomhole said this in Abuja on Wednesday during a forum tagged ‘The Podium’, organised by The Kukah Centre in collaboration with the Ford Foundation.

Gov Adams Oshiomhole

The programme, which seeks an interface between the electorate and policy makers, had the theme: “From Activism to Political Power: The Challenges of Democratic Governance in Nigeria”.

According to Oshiomhole, a labourer is worthy of his wages, meaning if an employer is owing, he is breaching a contract. “’This is where I’m different. I still insist any government who wants to be taken seriously must have a national minimum wage. “We must maintain a national minimum wage, look for ways to increase it; that is what I still advocate for.”

Giving an informal account of his stewardship and why he carried out most of his actions, the governor said he stayed true to his activism years by not owing salaries. He explained that as a former factory worker himself, he understood the importance of wages and that was why he increased workers salaries in Edo by 38 per cent.

“Activism is not synonymous with being progressive. I believe we should all be idealistic and not dismiss the possibility of an ideal society. “One man’s idealism is another man’s reality. Wages paid to people is not burden. “In Edo we increased it to 38 per cent and I’m proud to still pay before the last day of every month.”

He explained that complaints about salaries from the state were mostly about the 18 months pension arrears he inherited and the inability of local governments to pay their staff.

“We respect the autonomy of the Local Government but we insisted that if they cannot do environmental sanitation, waste management, grading rural roads, cleaning up the market at least you must pay the teachers’ salaries. “So I am not responsible for non-payment at that level. Non-payment of wages is a criminal breach in the law of contract. “You can pay daily, weekly, monthly but not in excess of 30 days, you are breaching the agreement.”

Oshiomhole said as an activist he was in governance to know the ropes, know how to help people and counter concepts like god-fatherism in politics.

“I have been militant, will remain a militant and retire a militant not with guns. I don’t burst pipelines but we must react to sayings like the ‘if you can’t beat them join them’.”

The Chairman of the occasion, former Gov. Donald Duke of Rivers, said he advocates improvement in society. “Sadly politicians in our society are merely jobbers and budget padders. We advocate improvement and not change. “We had a violent change in 1966, so change is not necessarily the way to go. Improvements however makes things happen, develops societies and affects the people positively.”

Bishop Mathew Kukah, the Convener of the event, said the essence of the forum was to design programmes that encourage debate and free exchange of ideas. “To serve as a mediating platform between the government, citizens and communities. “Also, to enhance the quality of leadership training at all levels both in the public and non governmental sectors.”

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that activists from all sectors and relevant stakeholders attended the event. (NAN)

15 inmates escape from Nsukka prison

At least 15 inmates have escaped in a jailbreak that occurred at Nsukka Prison in Enugu state. Quoting a source at the prison, NAN said the inmates broke their cells and scaled over the perimeter fence late Tuesday.

“The inmates carefully opened their cells and scaled the perimeter fence of the prisons,” the source was reported as saying. “Before prison officials on night duty knew what was happening, about 15 inmates had escaped.”

Lawrence Okonkwo, controller of prison, confirmed the jailbreak but declined to give the number of inmates that escaped. “Yes there was a jailbreak last night in Nsukka prison but I am not in a position to say how many prisoners escaped,” he said.

“We are expecting the Enugu state prisons controller, Mr Isaiah Amariri, in Nsukka prison so that we brief him on what happened last night. “He will be the one to tell the public the number of inmates that escaped, the re-arrested ones and efforts put in place to arrest those still on the run.”

However, unconfirmed reports say that two escapees had been rearrested.

Officials of the Nigeria Prisons Service were seen in parts of Nsukka and its environs on Wednesday searching for fleeing inmates.

New militant group ‘blows up’ pipeline in Delta

The Niger Delta Greenland Justice Mandate (NDGJM), a new militant group in the Niger Delta, has blown up a pipeline in Delta state. Aldo Agbalaja, spokesman of the group, disclosed this in a statement, saying the pipeline belongs to the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC). 

The attack comes one day after the group threatened to strike, based on the alleged decision of the federal government to concentrate on the Ijaw militants in its dialogue plans at the expense of other groups in the region.

“The central operations command of the Niger Delta hereby announces the commencement of demolition and evacuation of the uplands tagged ‘OPERATION ZERO’ to correct the wrongs that have afflicted our people for years, seek justice for the perpetually cheated and protect the identities of our people, who are co-owners of the wealth which Nigeria has forever misappropriated,” the group said.

“As a mark of our seriousness and to prove we are people of our words, at about 0200hours of today; Wednesday, August 10, 2016, operatives of the Niger Delta Greenland Justice Mandate brought down a MAJOR TRUNK/DELIVERY LINE from Isoko to the Eriemu Manifold in Urhobo, belonging to the NPDC/Shoreline resources.

“We would also want to use this medium to give a very strong warning to the operatives of the asset NPDC/SHORELINES not to commence repairs pending when they get signals from us otherwise the inevitable may occur to their personnel as we have earlier warned them to begin evacuating the uplands. “This is just a glimpse of what is to come, there are several assets already penned down for destruction. This line of action has been made inevitable by an unjust system, which only responds to the violent, to the detriment of the peaceful and law abiding.”

The police or any security agency have not issued any statement on the attack.

Mikel sad not carrying Nigerian flag

Chelsea midfielder Mikel Obi has said he was disappointed he could not carry the Nigerian flag at the Rio Olympics opening ceremony as the captain of the 85-man Nigerian contingent due to logistical problems.

Mikel revealed in a column he wrote for the Evening Standard: “Unfortunately, I didn’t end up carrying the Nigeria flag at the opening ceremony as expected. “Our first two games were in Manaus and we arrived so late, we didn’t have the time to arrange for me to fly to Rio straight after the Japan match and then come back again to face Sweden.

“We decided it was going to be too much for me as it takes four hours each way.

“It was obviously disappointing.

“I watched some of the ceremony but then I got a bit too emotional and had to switch off because I knew I was supposed to be there.”

Female table tennis star Funke Oshinaike, who is attending her sixth Olympics, carried the Nigerian flag.

Mikel said after all the drama surrounding the Nigeria Olympic team, “winning the gold medal is the only thing on my mind.”

Wife demands money before love making, rubs juju on her private part

A middle-aged man, Simon Akor, has told a Nyanya Customary Court, Abuja, that his wife, Patricia, demands money before allowing him to make love to

her. Simon said this when he testified in a divorce petition against his wife on Tuesday. 

“My wife always says I must give her money before I enter inside her buttocks, sometimes when I have money, I give her. “Whenever am angry about it and talk to her about it, she will say that all her friends collect money from their husbands before their husbands can get into them,” she claimed. According to him, Patricia rubs juju on her private part before making love to me. The petitioner said when he confronted her, Patricia said it was the native doctor that gave it to her. “That the native doctor instructed her to always rub it before making love to me, so that even if I drive her out of my house, I will not be able to perform with another woman. “Whenever my wife rubs that oily substance in her private part and I make love to her, my penis will become very weak. I will not be able to do anything again,” he said, He said that his wife invited the native doctor to live with them without his permission. Simon said Patricia told him that the native doctor saw “darkness in our home’’ and had come to dispel it. The petitioner also told the court that his wife was into human trafficking, adding that she used to bring girls to people in Abuja. He told the court that his wife chased him out of the house, adding that he was no longer interested in the marriage. Patricia, a businesswoman, denied the allegations, adding that they pull resources to buy the house. The presiding officer, Everyman Eleanya, advised the couple to reconcile. “You can’t force the court to divorce you, this is a court of justice, we are going to give you room for reconciliation. “This is not because of you or your wife but because of your children. “You should consider your children before you take certain decision in life,” Eleanya said. He urged the petitioner’s sister, Mary Akor, who was also present in court to try and reconcile his brother and his wife. He further advised her to “explore every possible means, including her church to bring peace and love between them’’ He adjourned the case till Sept. 5, for the report of settlement

EFCC releases blogger Abusidiq after more than 24 hours in detention

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has released Abubakar Sidiq, a political blogger, after more than 24 hours in detention.

Abubakar Sidiq

 Michael Bello, Sidiq’s lawyer, confirmed this to our correspondent on Tuesday. “We can confirm he (Sidiq) has just been released,” he said. “We applied for a variation of his bail condition, and they obliged us.  We had to get someone. I cannot disclose the identity of the person, but he in the service.”

Asked if his client was told to report back to the office of the anti-graft agency, Bello said: “For now, he has not been asked to come back or to report back at any other day.” Sidiq was arrested in his home at Kubwa, Abuja by operatives of the EFCC on Monday.

The EFCC had claimed that he was arrested for cyber stalking, a claim that irked many Nigerians on social media who called for his immediate release.

Jonathan sponsoring Nigeria Delta Avengers to make Nigeria ungovernable for Buhari — MEND

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, has declared that former President Goodluck Jonathan is a grand patron of new militant group, the Niger Delta Avengers. MEND’s statement corroborated the earlier claim by the Reformed Niger Delta Avengers that Jonathan was truly behind the formation of the dreaded group.

According to MEND, the former president was sponsoring the NDA to destabilise the government of his successor, President Muhammadu Buhari. A statement signed by one Jomo Gbomo said GEJ should not deny being the grand patron of the group, which had been blowing up oil facilities in the Niger Delta region.

The full text of the statement obtained bySaharaReporters reads.

“MEND cannot hold brief for the RNDA, which pointedly accused Mr. Jonathan of complicity in fueling the ongoing Niger Delta crisis and patronising the NDA, apparently for political reasons.

“We are, however, quick to point out the fact that the RNDA has merely vindicated MEND’s belief and conviction that the former President and his cronies, who lost the 2015 presidential election, were using the illegal and treasonable NDA platform to destabilise President Buhari’s government.

“Indeed, the problem in the Niger Delta today has nothing to do with the current administration of President Muhammadu Buhari. Far from it! The problem is simply the failure of Mr. Jonathan to address the root issues confronting the region when he was at the helms of affairs.

”Even though he was from the impoverished region and had, by his own admission in numerous electioneering campaigns, experienced the utter poverty and abject neglect of the region foisted by successive Nigerian governments and the international oil companies since the discovery of oil in 1958 at Oloibiri (a few metres away from his native Otuoke) in Bayelsa State, Mr. Jonathan disappointingly frittered away the opportunity to rescue his people when the Nigerian Presidency fortuitously landed on his laps, virtually on a platter of gold.

“For six whole years, Mr. Jonathan was busy drinking, making merry and generally chasing shadows at the State House. Such a fellow deserves to be ostracised from the assembly of reasonable men; because the Nigerian Presidency might never come back to the Niger Delta region as cheap as it came to Mr. Jonathan; perhaps, in the next 100 years.

“Lest we forget, MEND was at the forefront of the armed struggle back in 2006/2007 which forced the then Government of President Olusegun Obasanjo to consider the option of drafting an Ijaw into the mainstream of Nigerian politics. That was how the perpetually timid and naïve Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan became Vice-President and later, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. When he assumed the reins as President, he did the unthinkable; he tracked down perceived MEND leaders and promptly got them imprisoned on a trumped-up charge of attempt to assassinate him. “Up until today, Mr. Jonathan is still suffering from an assassination paranoia complex.”

The group added that a substantial portion of Jonathan’s statement, “unfortunately, dwelt on judicial matters which are pending in various courts in Nigeria and South Africa.”